ferocity

noun

fe·​roc·​i·​ty fə-ˈrä-sə-tē How to pronounce ferocity (audio)
: the quality or state of being ferocious
the ferocity of the lion's attack

Examples of ferocity in a Sentence

the ferocity of the lion's attack We were stunned by the ferocity of the storm.
Recent Examples on the Web Yet the true beauty of this new team-up exists in the superstars combining their respective ferocities, and injecting this ode to minding your own business with even more full-hearted passion. Jason Lipshutz, Billboard, 16 Feb. 2024 But that ferocity doesn’t always sit right with Bonner when it’s directed her way. Frankie De La Cretaz, SELF, 14 Feb. 2024 Despite its unmatched ferocity, the megalodon was driven to extinction due to climate change and subsequent shifts in whale migration patterns, depriving it of its primary food source. Max Bennett, Discover Magazine, 13 Feb. 2024 There‘s a gentleness to Schmidt that belies his ferocity as a player. Sam Farmer, Los Angeles Times, 28 Jan. 2024 Also unfamiliar will be the bulky padding and helmets absent in rugby, whose corporeal ferocity has also given rise to recent concerns — and class-action lawsuits — about brain injuries. Alexander Smith, NBC News, 19 Jan. 2024 Cruz bites into the role with a visceral ferocity — her grief, her cunning, her intelligence, her jealousy, and her desire hurdling out of her with the volume turned all the way up. Maureen Lee Lenker, EW.com, 22 Dec. 2023 This is often the result of unexpected news which leads investors to buy or sell with enough sudden ferocity that certain price levels are skipped and left behind. John Navin, Forbes, 15 Feb. 2024 On the basketball court, Wilson attacks with ferocity. Don Norcross, San Diego Union-Tribune, 12 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'ferocity.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1606, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of ferocity was in 1606

Dictionary Entries Near ferocity

Cite this Entry

“Ferocity.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ferocity. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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